by Dawes, Casey
****
“You go ahead. I’ll park the truck,” Tom said as he pulled up in front of the entrance. He waited only for Joel to leap out before he drove off to the airport’s parking lot.
Joel ran through the entrance and into the busy corridor, barely missing a mother pushing a stroller with a young child holding on to either side. He scooped off his hat, adding a rushed apology before streaking down toward the departure lounge.
“Callie!” he cried in the hope that she would hear him, but no one turned to wave, and no one seemed to notice in the crowded area.
“Joel Masters, is that you? What’s the rush?” A pretty girl in a dark red uniform leaned over her desk to wave at him.
“Bonnie,” he laughed, noting the public announcement microphone at her side. “I need a favor.”
****
“Will the bearer of ticket for seat 1C, please come to the desk in the lobby?” the voice sounded over the airport’s speaker system. Callie looked up; it was her ticket.
“I’ll deal with it,” Michael promised. “Here, take my ticket. I’ll meet you on the plane.”
“But they’re just about to announce boarding for our flight,” she protested. Michael snatched the ticket out of her hand and walked off.
“Is there a problem?” Michael slapped the ticket down on the counter.
“We just wanted to check the ticket again,” the pretty girl behind the desk said with a wide, lipsticked smile.
****
“Callie.”
Callie looked up into Joel’s eyes, and wondered if the shock of his appearance showed on her face.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, turning a shoulder against him. What did they have to say to each other?
“I wanted to see you, I wanted to explain,” Joel said. She stood, one finger punching him in the middle of his chest.
“You wanted to explain? Explain what? That you like to kiss your so-called ex fiancée? You left that bit out, didn’t you?” Callie shrieked at the top of her voice, not caring who heard her.
“No, you don’t understand…”
“I understand everything. I saw you kiss her!”
“She kissed me,” Joel explained.
“I saw you!” Callie cried louder, wanting to believe Joel’s innocence but she couldn’t dismiss what she’d seen.
“But you didn’t see Clara pretending to be you. I had my eyes closed, but I could smell your perfume and thought I was kissing you,” Joel protested.
“Callie, listen to him,” Bridget pleaded as she appeared at Joel’s side. “I told you Clara would do anything to get him back.”
“I’ve known Masters for years, and he’s not a liar,” Tom added, his hand on Bridget’s shoulder.
“I wouldn’t take Clara back, not now I’ve met you.” Joel said. “I’ve never met a woman who was scared of a milk snake before or who has such a sexy voice.”
“My voice is like this because of the operation, it will go back to normal soon,” Callie said, her eyes dancing from one face to another before resting on Joel’s. She ignored the mention of the milk snake, it wasn’t her finest moment.
“I’d like the chance to hear it.” Joel sighed. “Don’t get on the plane. Stay here and give me a chance to get to know you.”
“Of course she’s getting on the plane. Tell them goodbye, Callie. You have commitments and fans, and parties to attend.” Michael appeared, his hand still holding the ticket just as a voice announced it was time to board their plane. “Come on, Callie. We don’t have time to lose.”
Callie shrugged off Michael’s hand on her arm as her eyes danced over Joel’s face. He seemed honest, and she wanted to believe he’d told the truth but could she really trust him?
“Please give me a chance,” Joel said. “And if you still want to go home, I’ll buy you a ticket myself.”
“I’m richer than you.” Callie slowly smiled.
“You can buy your own ticket then.”
“Michael, I’m sorry...” she began but she didn’t expect Michael’s cruel outburst as he realized he would be travelling home alone.
“Stay then. Singers are a dime a dozen in England. You’re nothing special.”
“You’re wrong!” Joel shouted to Michael’s back as he marched toward the queue waiting to board the plane. “Callie is very special.”
“You don’t love Clara?” Callie whispered from the safety of Joel’s embrace.
“How could I love her when I love you?”
“You love me?”
“Totally, with all my heart,” Joel whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers.
Callie closed her eyes, knowing at last that the love songs she sang were right. Love was real and now she’d found hers.
“Come on, Callie.” Joel held out his hand as he lifted his mouth from hers. “Let’s go home.”
About the Author
Casey Dawes has lived a varied life--some by choice, some by circumstance. Her master’s degree in theater didn’t prepare her for anything practical, so she’s been a teacher, stage hand, secretary, database guru, manager in Corporate America, business coach, and writer.
With a few marriages, two sons, and three step-children, her personal life was a challenge when she met and married her current husband who has proved to be the love of her life. They reside in Montana where she quilts, writes, and coaches on the banks of the Clark Fork River. The couple has been adopted by two gently used cats.
About the Author Amber Daulton
My mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he’s down. I read and write contemporary, paranormal and historical romance novels alike. I just can’t get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. My wonderful husband supports me in my career and always lends a pair of eyes to my manuscripts. Writing takes up most of my time, aside from my tedious day job in the retail industry, and I probably wouldn’t be too sane without my computer. After all, what’s a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it’s hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works.
About the Author
Lauren Marie lives with her four cats in Western Washington State. She is the author of Love’s Touch-Then and Now and Going to Another Place.
In her other existence, she is an amateur paranormal investigator. She has had many unusual experiences which have put in appearances in some of her stories, most recently in Ghost Hunt 101. She is still trying to find a way to incorporate “Buddy” the ghost dog on State Street into a story.
Although, she has been focusing her current efforts in the paranormal romance and time-travel genres, she has also written general fiction and strictly paranormal.
About the Author
Dawn Luedecke
A country girl born and bred, Dawn Luedecke has spent most of her life surrounded by horses, country folk, and the wild terrain of Nevada, Idaho and Montana. As a child she would spend many afternoons reading books, watching western classics, and Rogers and Hammerstein movies. When she grew up she decided to leave the quiet country life for a chance to find adventure by serving a successful tour in the United States Coast Guard. During that time she found her soul mate (and alpha male) and started a family and writing career. She enjoys writing historical and paranormal romance and spends as much time as she can working on her current manuscript. For more information visit www.dawnluedecke.com.
About the Author
Julie Kavanagh was born in London. She still lives in the capital with her husband, one of her grown up daughters and seven felines, most of which are rescue cats. Julie works in an Inner city school and loves it although she wishes the holidays were longer. She has been writing for as long as she can remember and, despite modest su
ccess, a few years ago she gave it all up to concentrate on her family but now she’s back with a vengeance and lots of wonderful tales to share. Julie writes under a series of names to separate the different genres she likes to writes.
Look for the other stories in
The Love List
Love Uncorked
Jennifer Conner
Story 1
Tegan Taylor is the owner of the Que Syrah Syrah wine shop in Vine grove, the heart of wine country. After her plan of starting a book club to meet single, local men falls flat, her new found friends come up with The Love List. Each dropped a name of a nice guy their friends may like but just not a guy they’d date. Or think of romantically.
Tegan chooses Richard. After one disastrous meeting with him, Tegan wonders if The Love List isn’t a terrible idea.
Richard’s a jerk. But, when handsome Australian cowboy, August, shows up, things may take a turn.
Read book one in the Love List Series as Tegan, Chloe, Laura and Becca try to find love in a small town.
Love Found Me
Sharon Kleve
Story 2
When it’s Chloe Miles turn to pick a name out of The Love List she hadn’t expected to find true love. She just wanted to go on a date with a nice, available guy. Not one who drank too much, or was unemployed and wanted to stay that way. Or especially one who didn’t know what monogamous meant.
Mitch Brodin didn’t know his heart was in the hands of The Love List. His Fate set the moment he set foot into Roy’s Pet Rescues looking for advice on how to care for new born kittens.
Chloe is vivacious, unpredictable, and tons of fun, while he is methodical, predictable, and well... cynical. He surely hadn’t planned on falling in love. But that’s what you get when you’re not looking for love.
Blind Tasting
Angela Ford
Story 3
Dr. Rebecca Miller (Becca) thought her life was complete in New York. After three long shifts at the
hospital all she wanted was to crawl into bed next to her fiancé. Shocked to find her best friend already
there she packs her bags and transfers to a small town in Washington wine country. Devastated and alone, she discovers the wine shop Que Syrah Syrah. She figures the next best thing
to a best friend is a good bottle of Chardonnay. Inside she meets Tegan Taylor, the owner of the shop. Tegan invites her to the wine tasting for singles. Only four women show and the Tuesday night Book Club begins. After six months, they spice it up and change it to The Love List. They each pick a name of an eligible bachelor in town they may not date but their friends may.In the heart of wine country, four friends create The Love List; looking for love.
Becca’s pick is Chase Tanner, a local firefighter she’s met a couple of times. There’s something about him that allows her senses to breathe again. A fire brings Chase under the doctor’s care and into her heart. The love list seems to be working for Becca until Chase discovers the list and believes to be fooled. Will Becca be able to convince him she does love him?
Building up To Love
Joanne Jaytanie
Story 4
A small town can be a quaint, friendly place to call home. It can also be an impossible place to find a date. When Tegan, the owner of Que Syrah Syrah wine shop starts a Tuesday night singles-mingle, Laura, Chloe, and Becca are the only attendees—not a single man in sight. They continue to meet every Tuesday, but secretly change their name to The Love List. Each woman writes the name of a few single men who they know and drop them into a basket. All four women draw from this basket and promise to ask the man they have drawn on a date. The Love List seems a success as one by one the women find their true love. Except in Laura’s case, date after date she is plagued with losers. She is certain the basket is cursed.
Travis Jerome comes to Vine Grove to help his ailing grandparents. He notices a “Help Wanted” sign outside of a Victorian house and jumps at the chance to get back to his roots and have the feel of a hammer in his hand. He gets an extra bonus when he meets the attractive owner of the home, Laura Tate. Unfortunately she doesn’t appear to have the least bit of interest in him.
Love isn’t always impossible to find, sometimes it can be right in plain sight.
Look for the other stories in
The Pancake Club
Lesson Plan for Love
Jackie Marilla
Story 2
At thirty, Chad Granger yearns to settle down with a good woman and run the family farm. Too bad single women are so scarce in Mercy Ridge that he allows himself to date a self-professed divorcee who turns out to be still married. Humiliated and alone, Chad clings to the hope that a woman will show up for him.
Kristin Warner looks forward to her new town, her new job as the third-grade teacher, and the opportunity to pay down her student loan debt. She doesn’t count on falling for the first guy she meets in Mercy Ridge, and she certainly doesn’t plan for Chad to find out her secret so soon.
Hurt and alone once again, Chad must choose between closing his mind to Kristin or opening his heart.
Damage Control
JW Stacks
Story 3
Jennifer Defoe, “Jen” to her friends, is the Chief Editor (heck, only editor) at the Mercy Falls Crier who oversees two reporters. Unlike many of Mercy Fall’s high school graduating students, Jennifer never left Mercy Falls. She stayed on as a reporter and eventually was promoted to editor when the previous one retired at seventy-two. Jennifer was the “cute” girl at school while everyone else was developing breasts and learning to apply makeup. She was friends with Michael Harrison before he left for a six-year stint in the Navy. He is now back and Jennifer is trying to keep her distance after the pain of his leaving. She had convinced herself that Mike liked her (he did, as a friend).
Jennifer is a bit of a word nerd and she’ll use large words around strangers but speaks more plainly amongst friends. She has never really gotten over Mike’s “betrayal” and holds a grudge. She doesn’t know about his PTSD.
Saddle Up For Love
Marilyn Conner Miles
Story 4
Barbara “Barb” Sessions is a wrangler and sometimes babysitter at the local dude ranch, Saddle Up. She meets lots of “weekend dudes”—older men, couples in love and families with children, but never any men her age, except for losers. Could it be because she’s always in jeans and cowboy boots? She can’t even remember the last time she wore a dress and heels. On top of that, one of the wranglers fancies himself in love with her. Will she ever meet Mr. Right?
Dirk Adams is new to town and new owner of the Mercy Ridge Large Animal Veterinary Mobile Clinic. This is his first real job as a veterinarian. He grew up in Seattle. He isn’t much used to small towns other Stanwood where he did his internship and Pullman, the campus of Washington State University where he was a student. He’s heard that small towns often don’t warm up to new people moving there, and now he’s getting ready to replace their beloved, retiring Doctor.
